Getty New York Knicks president Leon Rose looks on during a game against the Miami Heat.
Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid‘s first Twitter activity in a long while fanned speculations about his future involving the New York Knicks.
Embiid liked ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski’s tweet breaking the news of the Knicks stacking up more draft assets in a salary dump of former lottery pick Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers.
👀 This is the first NBA-related tweet Joel Embiid has engaged all summer
Multiple NBA reporters and insiders have previously linked the Knicks as Embiid’s leading suitor should he follow his co-star James Harden‘s trade request.
On Friday, June 30, Yahoo Sports NBA insider Jake Fischer again reiterated the Knicks’ long-rumored desire to trade for the Philadelphia 76ers superstar.
“The Knicks have registered interest in Harden, sources said, but New York has long loomed as a leading suitor for Embiid — not to mention Harden’s curious fit with Team USA-bound Jalen Brunson — and it’s a wonder if the Knicks would target Embiid’s running mate as opposed to waiting to make a play for the all-world center in the aftermath of Harden’s departure. You can guarantee rival front offices are watching this situation with the hopes that Embiid could be the next All-NBA talent seeking a different destination. That’s just simple addition in this league’s cutthroat transaction world,” Fischer wrote.
Embiid then posted a cryptic tweet on Saturday, July 1.
The Watcher
Embiid is keenly watching how Harden’s latest trade request and Damian Lillard’s end up.
Josh Hart Pitches Knicks to Damian Lillard
After successfully steering Donte DiVincenzo to the Knicks, Josh Hart is in recruiting mode again, this time targeting disgruntled Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard.
Hey @Dame_Lillard 🙋🏽♂️
Lillard finally had enough of Portland’s front office’s inability to surround him with win-now players and officially made a trade request on July 1. While Lillard made it clear that he wants to go to Miami, Hart has not given up on persuading his former teammate to join him in New York.
Hart and Lillard played briefly together in Portland last year before the former was shipped to the Knicks at the February trade deadline.
Lillard was stunned when Hart was traded as he forged a friendship with the Knicks guard in the short time they spent together as teammates.
“It’s the thing I struggle with the most”
Damian Lillard on Josh Hart being traded
“We actually formed a friendship…I know he liked being in Portland and wanted to be in Portland…the business side takes over, it’s just unfortunate”
Trade Proposal Lands Knicks Damian Lillard
Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus proposed expanding the Obi Toppin trade for the Knicks to land Damian Lillard.
Knicks receive: Damian Lillard, Zach Collins
Pacers receive: Obi Toppin, draft compensation (from San Antonio or Portland)
Blazers receive: RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Lamar Stevens, multiple draft picks (from New York)
Spurs receive: Evan Fournier, Jusuf Nurkic, draft compensation (from New York)
In this blockbuster multi-team trade idea, the Knicks would finally get their star in Lillard, but pairing him with rising star Jalen Brunson at the backcourt is an awkward fit from a defensive standpoint. Nevertheless, Pincus envisions Collins as Robinson’s replacement for the Knicks at the center position, which will still have Isaiah Hartenstein and Jericho Sims.
On the other hand, Portland gets RJ Barrett to slot next to Scoot Henderson and Shaedon Sharpe as the Trail Blazers’ new core.
The Pacers receive an additional draft compensation for agreeing to expand their pre-existing deal with the Knicks while the Spurs land Fournier to serve as another mentor to his fellow Frenchman and this year’s No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama.